Electric switch.



G. A. TATE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED mmzr. 1913.

1,1 59,547., Patented Nov. 9, 1915,

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ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAiLZI. 1913.

1,159,547. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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GEORGE A. TATE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC swn'cn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed larch 27, 1913. Serial No. 757,117.

- followin is a full, clear, and exactdescri tion of I accompanyingdrawings, and to'thejnumerals of reference marked, thereon, which-form apart of this specificatiom Heretofore magnetically controlled switches,known as circuit-"breakers, "have circuit for protecting the machineswhen'. an overload; comes on the line, and asfa further protec tion insome instances fuses have also been inserted in the line and serveto'break the; circuit when the same is overloaded. Howi v usually beenplaced in an'e'lectric ever, such mechanism act independently of oneanother and generally only one operation takes place, either thebreaking of the circuit by the magnetic switch'or the blowing of thefuse.

This invention relates to an electric switch wherein each line of thecircuit is broken at a plurality of points.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device adapted to breakthe electric circuit at a plurality of points when an overload comesthereon.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device in which thebreaking of the electric circuit due to an overload, serves to releasemechanism positively disconnect- 66 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 1s a enlarged toping the entire circuit instantly thereafter.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device whereincircuit breaking mechanism is adapted to be thrown into operation by theblowing of a fuse on one of the lines of an electric circuit.

It is also an object of .this invention to provide meansfor replacingthe fuse and connecting the actuating mechanism thereto of a circuitbreaking mechanism, while said circuit breaking mechanism is in releaseor breaking position, and whereby such mechanism may be thrown intoconnected or closed position by hand after a new fuse has been insertedto thereby close the circuit.

e same, reference being had to t e any'one of said fuses will It is alsoan object of this invention to provide a fuse operated circuit breakingmechanism whereby said mechanism may also be manually actuated withoutthe blowing of the fuses.

It is also an object of this invention to prov de a device such thatanoverload occurring on any line of an electric circuit Wlll serve tothrow the circuit breaking mechanism into release or open position foreach of the lines of the circuit.

Q It is furthermore an object of this invention to construct a device inwhich fuses control the locking mechanism for a spring actuated switch,and wherein the blowing of cause the switch to be released into openposition.

Itfis. finally an object of this invention to gprov-ide a quickoperating device which will instantly serve to break andwhich may beeasily and quickly rethe entire circuit,

' stored to closed circuit position.

Other objects will be evident from the description.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings, andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the insulating baseblock, and the mechanisms thereon. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectiontaken on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is anenlarged section taken on line plan view of the locking plate.

As shown in the drawings: 1, indicates an insulating base block suitablysupported by current carrying bars 2 and 3, which may be attached to aninsulating panel 4, of a switchboard. The line terminals 5, and 6, areshown connected to the bars 2, and 3, in the usual manner. The bars 2,are extended up above the base 1, and provided with slots to receivetherein the extremity ofthe fuses 7. The other ends of each of saidfuses are supported by means of the uprights 8, which, together with theadjacent spring members 9, are secured upon the base by means of thescrews or bolts 10. Said screws 10, also serve to support the extendedmembers 11, thereby completing an electric circuit between the members8, and said members 11. Rigidly secured on each of said, members 11, arethe resilient contact members 12, each forming one pole of a doublethrow knife switch.

The knife switch comprises a T shaped member 13, which has secured andinsulated therefrom at its ends, knife blades 14, anda centrallydow-nwardlyextending member 13, secured on the base 1, affords a pivotalsupport for said member 13. The central extremity of said member 13, isslotted, and

pivotally connected therein is an actuatin rod 15, which is provided atits upper en with a recessed cap or button 16. Engaged therein andbearing downwardlyupon the face plate 17 is a spiral compression spring18, which tends to thrust said rod 15, up-' wardly, in which positionthe knives 14, will be out of contact with-the contact memgroove inth ebase plate 1, andits inner end is angled downwardly and projects into anenlarged recess in the face plate in which is engaged the spiralcompression spring 22,

the other below sa-idarm 28, of the-respective cams, are hook plates 30,having upwardly extending projections or hooks 31, thereon. When thedevice is in normal condition with the switch closed, the eyes 32,

v forming a part of the fuses, engage over said projection 31, thusholding thecams in the position shown in Fig. 1. However, when one" ofthe fuses blows, as shown in F1g. 2, the eye 32 is released and thespring 26, rotates the respective cam through a small are, saidcam-bearingagainst an inwardly struck portion 33, of the locking plate20, toretract said plate and release the switch. I

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the locking plate is adapted to slidein the groove in the base plate 1, and the stud 25, projects throughthe-aperture afi'orded therein by an inwardly struck portion 33, whichprojects upwardly a sufiicient distance to be contacted by either thecam 23 or 24.

The fuse supports'2, and 8, are slotted to permit ready insertion andremoval of a which normally thrusts said platev out-,

wardly with one side of an aperture therein engaging in the notch 19, inthe push rod 15,

thereby locking the same and retaining the switch in closed position.Means are provided for automatically retracting said locking plate whenone of the fuses is blown. This comprises spring actuated cams 23, and24, which are pivotally mounted upon the stud 25, said cam members beingconnected one to another by means of the spiral spring 26, which is ofgreater'strength than the compression spring 22. A cover plate 27, isprovided on thebase plate over the recess inclosing the spring 22, saidplate also serving as a guide and retaining means for the locking plate,similar to the guide face plate 17, secured over said locking plate nearits end and through which the push rod 15, extends. Before connectingthe spring 26, to the cams 23, and 24, said spring is initiallytensioned such as to tend to rotate said cam members in oppositedirections. Each of said cam members is provided with v the extended arm28, having a lip 29, thereon to facilitate manual operation of the same.Mounted thereon and insulated therefromin one case above the arm 28, andin fuse. The fuse comprises a cylindrical insulatingf and fire roofcasing 7, within which, and secure at one of its ends is a hollow fusewire 34, which at its other end is attached to theeye 32, and reinforcedby means of a thread 34, running longitudinally on the inside of thehollow or tubular fuse 34, or, if preferred, secured on the outersurface of a solid fuse wire, in either case such that the threadreceives the tension or pull at the fuse ends, and not the fuse wire.However,.the fuse wire conducts the current and when the current becomesso great as to cause melting of the fuse, the heat also burns thethread, thus releasing the eye 32, which, being attached to the hook 31,will be pulled out of the casing 7, and the cam be permitted to rotate.The amplitude of movement of each of said cams as the same are sprunginto releasing posi-' tion' for the switch, is limited by pro ecting,portions 35, which are struck upwardly from the edges of said lockingplate 20.

Secured on each of the current carrying bars 3, similar to the contactfingers12, are the contact fingers 12, which are disposed diametricallyopposite said fingers 12, such that the knife blades 14, of the switchwill serve to engage all of said contact fingers simultaneously. Abearing or face plate 36, is provided over the recess in the base plate1, covering the slidable locking plate 20, therein, in order to spacethe lower cam 24, away from the upper surface of said base plate. v

The operation is as follows: When the deviceis in closed position, theblade carrying member 13, is in the position shown in Fig. 1, with theactuating rod 15, depressed and the locking plate 20, engaging the notchtherein to hold the same retracted. However, when one of the fuses blowsdue to an overload upon the line, the respective cam is therebyreleased, as shown in Fig. 2, and under the impelling force of the sring 26, is rotated through a small arc su cient to cause the cam toretract the locking plate 20, thereby releasing said actuating rod 15,and causing the switch under the impulse of the spring 18, to be openedat its four points. Before the switch is again closed, a new fuse isinserted and the cam member retracted and attached to the eye of thefuse, the spring 9, on the fuse support serving to insure a positiveelectrical connection and insuring retainment of the fuse in the supporttherefor. The button 16, is then depressed and as the notch 16, thereinpasses said looking plate 20, said plate engages therein under theimpulse of the sprmg 22. It is obvious that the spring 26, must bestronger than the spring 22, in order that the cam actuated by saidspring 26, may retract the plate 20, against the force of the spring 22,when said cams are released. If it is desired to open the circuit priorto the blowing of a fuse the operator merely thrusts the locking plate20, inwardly by pressing upon the extension 21, and the push rod 15, isthereby released without releasing the cams 23 or 24.

It is obvious that details of the construction may be varied to a widerange without departing from the principles of this invention, and Itherefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a spring actuated switch, aslidable plate lock ing the same in closed position, and fuse operatedmeans for retracting said plate to permit opening of the switch.

2. In a device of the class described a spring actuated switch, slidablespring impelled means retaining the same in closed position, and fusecontrolled spring actuated cam members adapted to retract said retainingmeans to permit opening of said spring actuated switch.

3. In a device of the class described a spring operated switch, springactuated locking means to retain the same in closed position, sprinimpelled cams adapted to retract said 100 ing means, and fuses adaptedwhen blown to release said cams to cause retraction of said lockingmeans to in turn permit opening of the spring operated switch.

4. In a device of the class described a switch, spring impelled slidablemeans looking the samein closed position, fuses adapted to permitretraction of said locking means when one ofsaid fuses is blown, and

spring, a plurality of fuses,

tion with the release of said locking means.

5. In a device of the class described a i switch, slidable meansretaining the same in closed position, a spring acting normally to opensaid switch and fuse controlled spring actuated members for retractingsaid retaining means to permit said switch to move to open position.

6. In a device of the class described a four point switch, means actingnormally to impel said switch to open position, mechanism retaining theswitch in closed position, a plurality of spring impelled elementsacting when released to retract said locking mechanism to release saidswitch to open position, and a plurality of fuses, the blowing of anyone of which will cause release of said spring impelled elements.

7. In a spring impelled four tective switch of'the class descri ralityof fuses, a plurality of spring impelled actuating cam memberscontrolled by said fuses and a slotted spring impelled slidable lockingmember operated by any one of the cam members to open said switch whenanyone of said cam members is released by its ruptured fuse.

8. In a spring impelled protective switch of the class described meanslocking said switch in closed position, and independently operatablespring connected cams one of which when released adapted to retract saidlocking means to permit opening of the switch.

9. In a device of the class described, a spring actuated switch,slidable means acting to lock the same in closed position, a pairofspring impelled and spring connected cams acting when released toretract said slidable means against the impulse of its respective onesof which act to hold one of said cams against the impulse of its spring,and means associated with said fuses to relieve the fusible portionthereof from stress in holding said cams.

10. In a device of the class described a spring actuated switch, aspring actuated recessed locking member retaining said switch in closedposition, upwardly directed flanges formed on said locking member, apair of fuses, upper and lower cam members oint proed a pluadapted to beconnected with said fuses,

within said casing and connected to said In testimony whereof I havehereunto eye, combustible means within said fusible subscribed my namein the presence of two means to receive and withstand tension atsubscribing Witnesses. the fuse ends, and a resilient spring mem-GEORGEA. TATE. 1

. ber insuring a positive electrical connection Witnesses:

and retamment of the fuse 1n a support CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr.,

therefor. LEON REIBs'rEIN..

